To Dog Park or not to Dog Park, that is the question.

 

So many dog owners find dog parks great fun for their dogs and for themselves. In my early days of dog owning we used to go. I had a Dalmatian then. While she was a bit of a loner, she was good with other dogs. Yet most dog parks I became familiar with were nice yet they were open spaces, not fenced, and my girl could not be trusted to not play a game of hide and seek. We did not visit off leash parks very much.

I remember once going and thinking, that it seems people come there to socialize too, as I saw lots of dogs playing and their owners talking. Busy people may not have hours and hours to walk their dogs, and this way they do get some good exercise. Though the owners don’t so much.

Yes, I can say some good things about dog parks.

As I love dogs, my times in the dog parks gave me an opportunity to see other dogs too.

 

I added whippets to my dog family and they were a new experience.  I had other whippet friends and greyhound friends and mostly we would get out socializing with them. Also, one of my whippets did get lots of running by going out to practices and to races. He won some ribbons and a championship for the efforts (another story for another day). And as I had two, they could run and play together as I had a back yard, while not a soccer field, it did allow for some fun, careful fun. (And that is yet another story to come)

Yet sometimes just that can be limiting and I feel that a whippet or any dog should get along with and have the chance to play with other dogs.  I have taken my whippets to dog parks, and it has been an ok experience, yet never comfortable. Whippets are so fast, and they, well one of mine did, always want to round up all the other dogs, and take them on in a race. Usually very politely, and dogs seems to join in and it was ok, yet how can I know how his body language will be taken. Sure, I know that all he wants is someone to run with, (well I think I know- and there is another story) yet what do they think. Do we know? My whippets have had some great times in his earlier years and I think the experience was good for him/them. 

Yet now, I am no longer comfortable with dog parks and will only go in with a dog we know, or if the park is free. There is one near us that if it is free, he can get a great run there.

He is fine without the running, as he gets tons of walking.

 

Dog parks can be good for some, and if you have a very well behaved dog, and you know all the dogs in the park, I can see it as a good thing.

Yet, all it takes is one new dog, whose owner says, o don’t worry, he is fine, and the fun is over.

I won’t risk it now.

My dog gets lots of play time with his friends, and on walks.

I will say though, that I do wish that it could be easier. Yet, it is not. well not for me.

What do you think?

Why not join us, it is free. Then post your own story about an experience about dog parks, or tell us good ones, or give us your opinion on them. Is it yes or no?

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If I have to take a side, this one for me is no.

Yet for many it works and it is a yes.

I am not against dog parks, I just can’t go and relax there with my own dog, and so we don’t go.